


Not As It Seems XVI

by eliniel



Series: Emet-Selch/WoL [21]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Blizzards & Snowstorms, Gen, Hypothermia, Ishgard Restoration (Final Fantasy XIV), Sharing Body Heat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-19
Updated: 2019-11-19
Packaged: 2021-02-13 09:10:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21491863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eliniel/pseuds/eliniel
Summary: After the Warrior of Light gets knocked unconscious in the snow, Emet-Selch begrudgingly swoops in to rescue her.
Relationships: Solus zos Galvus | Emet-Selch & Warrior of Light
Series: Emet-Selch/WoL [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1423444
Comments: 6
Kudos: 64





	Not As It Seems XVI

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks as always to Crystal (lakesideminuet) for proofreading and helping me with certain lines :3 Love you <3
> 
> Thanks also to Ahro for giving me the idea of working the new Ishgard Restoration into the story!

When my eyes opened, my vision was tinged with darkness and everything was blurry- but I could see someone in black standing by...was that a fireplace? 

Who-who was that?

I squinted my eyes in an attempt to focus, but my mind was still hazy as I laid limp and heavy on the floor, entire body refusing to move. And I was tired.

Incredibly tired…

I couldn’t remember the last time I felt  _ this _ tired.

A chill ran up my spine as my entire body started shaking and I realized that I was  _ freezing _ . My teeth chattered behind my lips as I trembled and when I opened my mouth to exhale an unsteady breath, a quiet, wobbling whimper escaped me that caused the figure hovering over the mantle turn.

I heard a snap of fingers and a fire was suddenly blazing, an orange glow filling the room. After a few moments, the warmth reached me, barely ebbing the cold that had settled deep in my bones. My vision began to clear with my mind and I realized I was in  _ my _ house.

How had I gotten here?

I was in...Coerthas…

There was a scrape of furniture against the wood flooring behind me and suddenly, I was being moved. 

I craned my neck as best I could to see Emet-Selch frowning down at me as he sat me up and leaned me against the sofa he’d moved directly in front of the fireplace. He knelt on the rug next to me, examining me closely.

When his gaze locked with mine, his mouth pulled into a smirk, though the look in his amber eyes did not change. 

“Hello, hero,” he said with that smug arrogance that made me want to roll my eyes, but my drowsiness was spreading and I found it difficult to keep them open, yet alone give him an attitude. My head dipped as my lids closed on their own. 

“Ah, ah,” the Ascian admonished, gripping my chin with his hand and jerking it up quickly. With a sharp intake of breath, my eyes opened and I blinked rapidly as my mind roused again. “No sleeping,” he ordered and I furrowed my brow. 

He reached for my shoes, untying and slipping them off my feet. 

“W-w-what-,” I tried through my shivers, but unable to form the words.

He sighed as he tossed the boots over to the fireplace. “You’re rather dimwitted sometimes, you know. Do you have not any regard for your own life?”

I opened my mouth to answer but he was on me in a moment, pulling my shirt over my head. I tried to argue, my hands reaching to fight against him.

I was  _ so _ cold. Why was he taking my clothes off? Surely that would only make it worse.

My raw fingers fumbled and he easily brushed them off, shushing me as he moved to peel the undershirt off of my torso as well, then instantly moved to my pants, quickly stripping them from my legs.

“S-stop,” I squeaked, voice barely audible.

“No,” he said, continuing to focus on my clothing, refusing to meet my eyes again. 

When I was in naught but my smallclothes, he threw the pile towards the fire as well, a wet  _ splat _ coming from them as they landed on the floor. Understanding lit inside of me and if I wasn’t so  _ cold _ , the sound would almost be comical. Another chill spread through me and I curled in on myself, body responding a small bit faster now.

I slowly pulled my knees to my chest as I wrapped my arms around them, teeth still chattering. I watched as he stood, shedding his overcoat and shirt, throwing them to the chair in the corner before bending down to gather me in his arms. I felt my heart skip a beat as he lifted me, holding me close.

He was  _ so _ warm…

I released a wavering sigh of relief.

When my skin came into contact with his, he hissed, a shiver running up his spine. He breathed a humorless laugh.

“Oh, the things I am willing to do for the Source’s  _ precious _ hero,” he scoffed, the tone of his voice dry.

He lowered himself into the corner of the couch and leaned back to get comfortable, then set me into his lap. With a snap, a quilt appeared on the couch next to us and with one hand, he spread it over me.

Another relieved breath escaped me as the warmth of his body spread through my very soul. Unable to help myself, my head dropped against his chest as his arms went around me, one hand rubbing my arm in an attempt to warm my frigid skin. 

I felt his aether flow over me, enchanted to speed up the process.

I closed my eyes as we sat in silence for long minutes, the cold finally seeping out of me, my trembling slowly subsiding. 

Finally, when my body had calmed I opened my eyes again and leaned my temple against his collarbone, tilting my head up so I could see his face. He rested his cheek against my forehead.

“What happened?” I finally asked with a quiet, scratchy voice, feeling if I spoke any louder I would be impeding on the quiet of the room.

His chest vibrated with a hum that caused another chill to run through me. His arms tightened around me in response. 

“I remember you saying you were going to gather supplies needed in the restoration of Ishgard or some such nonsense, and so I endeavored to take a short nap while you were gone,” he explained. 

“When I woke, you were still gone and the sunlight was beginning to fade.”

I breathed a laugh. “You were worried about me?”

“Hardly,” he huffed after a pause. “I was merely hungry and loathe as I am to admit, you make better food than I.” I was unable to hold back the smile that spread across my lips at his words. “Do not flatter yourself, hero. I was worried about  _ myself. _ How else am I able to obtain a decent meal?”

A chuckle escaped me, but it quickly turned into a coughing fit.

Another snap later, he was holding a glass of water to my lips. I lifted my arm out of the blanket to take it, but he pulled it away, out of my reach.

“I can hold it myself,” I pouted, sitting up to grab it from him. His hand tightened around my other arm and pulled me back against him. 

“With your clumsy, shaking hands? I very much doubt it, hero,” he shot back to me and I pursed my lips. “And I’d rather not risk being made  _ more _ uncomfortable than I already am by you spilling it all over me.”

With a sharp sigh, I reluctantly gave in and let him tip the water down my throat. When the liquid was gone, the glass disappeared and he shifted under me to make himself more comfortable. One arm remained around my back, the other lazily lying across my lap. 

I relaxed into him again, resting my cheek on his chest once more.

“Where did you find me?”

“Half frozen in the snow,” he answered, matter-of-factly. When he didn’t continued, I lifted my head to look at him, expectation in my expression. He clicked his tongue in mock annoyance and it wasn’t lost on me that I had to prod him every time I wanted more than just a simple answer. “There was a large branch lying close by. I can only surmise that it grew so heavy with the weight of the snow that it snapped and rendered you unconscious. Why you didn’t think to simply move out of the way is beyond my comprehension.”

“Hmm,” I hummed, absent-mindedly running my fingernails over the arm draped across my thighs. His hand gripped my hip with the motion.

“Isn’t there something you ought to say, hero?” he asked me, after a few, long moments, voice barely above a whisper

A slow grin spread across my lips and I rolled my eyes. When my hand reached his, I threaded my fingers through his, palm against the knuckles on the back of his hand. I lifted myself up and pressed a gentle kiss to his jaw, then settled into him once more.

“Thank you,” I whispered, closing my eyes. He sighed through his nose as he examined me again, shaking his head with mild exasperation.

“That is satisfactory enough, I suppose.”


End file.
